A word with Curtis Barnett, President and Chief Executive Officer

It’s What Our Members Think That Matters Most

In the health insurance business, we track and report various measurements, such as claims trends, turnaround time, average speed of answering member calls, and hospital admission rates. However, one of the most important metrics we track is the Net Promoter Score (NPS), because it measures what you, our members, think about the job we’re doing.

NPS is a critical indicator of our performance and your satisfaction, and I’m proud to say that in 2024, our plan achieved an NPS score of 44, placing us in the top 5 of Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in the country and among the highest of all health plans, nationally.

This is a testament to the caliber of people we have working here, particularly our customer service representatives.

Our employees know that each call they receive could be on one of the worst days imaginable for the person on the other end. We might not be able to change the situation, but we can try to make it as easy as possible for our members to receive the help and healthcare they need. I want to share what some of our customer service representatives have discussed when asked about their jobs:

“I had a member call right after receiving the information that she had been diagnosed with cancer,” said Shaneka. “And it was one of the most difficult calls that I’ve had since I’ve been with the company. Because in speaking with her, taking a gentle approach, she immediately broke down into tears. After we finished our conversation, she told me it was like receiving a hug on the other end of that call. And that made a difference for her, and it also made a difference for me.”

“So, I had a father, or a soon-to-be father call in wanting to know maternity benefits for he and his wife,” said Jerrell. “Thinking back to when I had my first child, I didn’t know all the ins and outs of insurance, and nobody took the time to explain that to me. So, I took my time, explained all the benefits, everything that his wife was entitled to since she was on the policy and just tried to set their minds at ease and let them know, we’re going to be here if they ever need it.”

“Every morning that I get up, what’s on my mind is ‘How can I change a life?‘, said Jorge.”  “How can I make a difference with someone? I’m going to go above and beyond to help. And that’s a feeling that is more than a paycheck. There’s nothing that can replace that. I’m going to work because I know today, I can change someone’s life.”

Member Feedback

We value the feedback we receive from our members, as it helps us understand your needs and improve our services. Here are some recent comments from our members:

“I have substance use issues, and the one time I called looking for treatment options, not only did the customer service lady provide me with options, but she also called me back a few times to make sure I was okay and contacted one of the facilities! She went above and beyond my expectations!”

“The support I received was exceptional and made a significant difference in my healthcare journey.”

Always Improving

While we’re excited about these high scores, we recognize that healthcare is still too complex and fragmented. There is much work to be done, and we are committed to continuous improvement. Here are some of the initiatives we are focusing on to better serve you and both solidify and improve our NPS:

• Expanding Digital Tools: We are developing and implementing new digital tools to make it easier for our members to access information and services. This includes enhancing our mobile app and website to provide a more user-friendly experience.
• Improving Customer Service Processes: We are investing in training and technology to improve our customer service processes. This includes the introduction of real-time messaging across all areas of our business, which has already decreased turnaround time on inquiries.

We are committed to listening to our members and using your feedback to continuously improve our services. Keeping you first is not just something we say, it’s something we do, and we are committed to doing it even better in the future.

Thank you for being a valued member of Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield.